100 Discs of Christmas #9 – Role Models (2008)

Similar to many comedies currently pouring into cinemas at the moment, this is ridiculously crude and potentially offensive. Dissimilar to many comedies, it’s actually funny. Sean William Scott, an actor who has talent but rarely works with good material, is hilarious as Wheeler; a guy who advertises soft drinks to young children at school assemblies with Danny, his best friend.

After an unfortunate incident involving a truck and a school statue of a horse, they are both sentenced to 150 hours community service.This community service means spending time helping socially troubled children (leaving wide taboo turf to be upturned). Four letter words aplenty (and not always from the adults), there is much laughter to be had with the joyously vulgar screenplay. Although it loses its way slightly towards the end, this movie proves that outrageous comedies can be made well, and the lack of a certain Judd Apatow (responsible for atrocities such as Forgetting Sarah Marshal and Step-Brothers) probably partially accounts for its quality.

Role Models (2008), directed by David Wain, is released on Blu-ray and DVD in the UK by Universal Pictures, Certificate 15.